Ralph Stanley - Stanley Brothers Classics

Introducing James King

(Wango 118) 1986

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Although this is quite a short album^[1] it is a gem, consisting of reworkings of old Stanley Brothers classics, about half of which haven't been re-recorded by Ralph before or since.

The album was recorded on a 2-track stereo by Ray Davis, between 8th - 9th December 1985. No location is given, but on the 7th they were advertised as playing Centreville, VA.^[2] approximately 300 miles from James King's hometown of Cana, VA.

Despite, or perhaps because, the album was only recorded on 2-tracks, it has a vibrant 'live' feel too it. Eddie Stubbs (of Johnson Mountain Boys) does a great job standing in for Curly Ray, and James King's vocals are smooth as silk.

For students of Ralph's banjo style, this is also a corker of an album, as his backing is nice and clear.

James later commented on the album:- "That first one is for the history books as far as I'm concerned - on Ralph's part. I didn't do much, but Ralph picked his tail off. Ralph did really good on that record. Charlie Sizemore told me that he had never seen him pick like that in the ten years he picked music with him until that night, down in the basement. Ray Davis encouraged all of that. Ralph had him a little drink of Jack Daniels and decided he was going to pick. You listen to that record. He absolutely, positively sang tenor and played the banjo the best I'd ever heard it in a while. You listen to 'Nobody's Love Is Like Mine' on that record. It was done in one take. We did it one time. He is absolutely busting the five-string on that. And then we recorded 'Let Me Be Your Friend' the next day and, buddy, he was on fire"^[3]

James later appeared with Ralph and George Shuffler in 1987, an event which was captured for posterity on the Reunion CD. Nowadays, he's more well known as the 'Bluegrass Storyteller' with several successful albums on Rounder, and as a founding member of bluegrass supergroup Longview.

The album was reissued on CD in 1997 (WANGOCD103) with the additon of two tracks (Nobody's Love Is Like Mine and What About You) and slightly resequenced.^[4] The CD liner notes are worth repeating:

• Ralph Stanley: banjo, tenor vocals
• James King: guitar, lead vocals
• Charlie Sizemore: guitar
• Junior Blankenship: lead guitar
• Jack Cooke: bass
• Eddie Stubbs: fiddle
• Curly Ray Cline: inspiration

Other artwork / related images:

[1] 23:50 minutes for the LP and 28:37 for the CD.
[2] Bluegrass Unlimited (Dec. 1985), Personal Appearance Calendar. (p51)
[3] Bluegrass Unlimited (Aug. 2016), 'The Life And Times Of James King' by Derek Halsey. (p51)
[4] The CD running order is the same as the LP, except Nobody's Love Is Like Mine is inserted between Loving You Too Well and Baby Girl; and What About You is added as the final track. The artwork is pretty much the same, so I haven't bothered reproducing it. My copy of the LP has a little surface noise.